How To Whiten Your Teeth And Brighten Your Smile: Foods That Act As Natural Cleansers

Everyone knows brushing your teeth twice a day is good, proper hygiene, but what if we could bump our good and proper to excellent and brush 17 times a day – without really brushing? And what if it whitened our teeth too? Spoiler alert: we can! Of course, we still must keep up our traditional morning and night routine, but this additional, alternative brushing is actually quite simple and, for those of us who like to eat, fun. There’s no need to excuse yourself to the bathroom again and again or stash toothpaste in your bag. The secret is in your garden, in your fridge, in the produce section of your favorite supermarket: raw fruits and veggies.

It’s the crunch factor that turns these healthy snacks into serious scrubbers for our teeth. All we have to do is munch throughout our days, and like magic, we’ll be stripping away all those superficial stains that have piled up during our tea, coffee and wine binging. So if you want to brighten up those pearly whites, start by perusing the market bins and barrels for your favorite, fresh natural toothbrushes:

Carrots

Apples

Cucumbers

Celery

Cauliflower

Broccoli – also rich in iron, forming acid resistant film that coats and protects enamel

It’s really a two-fer. These herbaceous plants are good for us AND their abrasive surfaces wipe away stains and even polish our teeth as we eat. What a bargain. Chomp away!

Raw fruits and veggies are not only master brushers, but because they require vigorous chewing, they aid in stimulating saliva production. Why would we want more spit? It just so turns out, the more you salivate, the more you rinse your teeth. Brush and rinse, as you eat, in the comfort of the lunchroom. It’s that easy.

We cannot live on fruits and veggies alone of course, so what other foods help produce saliva? Which foods are experts in triggering mouth-pools of sloshing goodness that wash away bacteria and food debris? You’ve got to look for foods with the following traits:

Strong– Apparently aged, sharp, intense, and hard cheeses are good for more than wining and dining: Gouda, Cheddar, Gorgonzola.

Bitter-tasting vegetables – Throw endive in your next salad.

Crunchy – Raw fruits and veggies seem to be popular around here.

Water – Of course. Celery has an exceptionally high water content, FYI.

If you’re looking for more than a brush and rinse routine, these edible stain removers can wipe out the toughest of discolorations with their malic acid super powers. Malic Acid is an organic compound with many health benefits, but cleaning up stained teeth is one of its most popular. Added bonus: Malic acid stimulates saliva. More rinsing happening here.

For best results, eat slowly and enjoy!

Strawberries

Apples

Nectarines

Cherries

Bananas

Peaches

Lychee

Another bad boy in the stain-removing department is Bromelain. This small but mighty compound is found only in pineapples and contains an enzyme that is used in stain removing toothpastes to break up plaque and discoloration. If au naturel is more your style, skip your trip to the drug store and go straight to Hawaii. Or your local supermarket. Eat pineapple whenever you can.

Pineapple

So whether you’re hoping to maintain your bright white smile or lighten it up a bit, a simple change in your diet could make all the difference. You may really be what you eat. And your teeth will tell the tale.

Posted by
ianpasch on
May 7th, 2018 6:39 am
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